a little light reading

We find examples of beautiful lighting all around, whether modern or traditional, whether in homes or in businesses. And while Lighting Supply focuses more on commercial bulbs, ballasts, and fixtures, we still admire when someone uses lighting to enhance guest experiences!

So we thought it a nice idea to feature beautiful instances of lighting as we come across them in our day-to-day, and we're starting today with lighting at the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester, Michigan, which isn't just beautiful, but also has an impressive story behind it.

The glass from these fixtures was created by the world's oldest glass making company, and one of the oldest family companies in the world. Barovier&Toso was founded in Italy more than 700 years ago in 1295 by the Barovier family. During the Renaissance, Angelo Barovier developed the first totally clear crystalline, free of impurities. He also created the "Barovier wedding cup," which is now in a Murano museum and is one of the most famous glass pieces of the Renaissance.

The Barovier family merged less than 100 years ago (1936) with the Toso family of glass makers.

According to its website, the company creates "solutions of decorative lighting in Murano glass, all characterised by a personal and unique style." Speaking of personal, the Royal Park architect traveled to Italy to choose fixtures from Barovier&Toso, which also custom designed some of the fixtures for the hotel.